CANDY BOMBER TO HELP SANTA AFTER HE LANDS AT PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM

Tucson—Nov. 27, 2013. Col. Gail S. Halvorsen (Ret.), the world-renown Candy Bomber of the humanitarian Berlin Airlift fame, will help Santa Clause hand out candy after Santa arrives by helicopter on Sat., Dec. 14, 2013 at the Pima Air & Space Museum. The museum will open early, at 8:30am, offering a special breakfast buffet (additional charge) from their restaurant, Flight Grill, with Santa scheduled to land at 10:45am.

To facilitate families enjoying all of the museum’s offerings: the aircraft, festivities, petting zoo, crafts, etc., allotted entry times to line up for Santa will be assigned as families enter the museum. (Members can enter the Santa line at any time.) Parents are encouraged to bring their own cameras to capture their young one’s visit with Santa. After children sit on Santa’s lap, Col. Halverson will hand out candy canes.

The first 1500 children through the door will receive a commemorative jingle bell ornament.

In addition to viewing the museum’s great planes, there will be assorted holiday crafts and special activities including: o storytime readings by Mina Stafford, Pima Air & Space’s Curator of Education, of the children’s book, “Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot.” “Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot” tells the true story of a seven-year-old girl who lived in West Berlin during the airlift and the candy that dropped from the sky

“I’m delighted to help. I enjoy seeing the children’s smiles but especially the hope in their eyes,” stated the 92-year-old Halvorsen. He continued, “It was the hope that someday things would be better that helped the Germans understand that even after the war, the Americans cared.”

The children’s book and Halvorsen’s own book, “The Berlin Candy Bomber” will be available for purchase in the Museum Store. Regular museum daily admission rates apply: $12.25 for Pima County residents, $15.50 for adults, $9 for Juniors ages 7-12, and FREE for children ages 6 & Under (and members).

ABOUT PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUMBe wowed at Pima Air & Space Museum, one of the largest aviation museums in the world and the largest non-government-funded in the U.S. (TripAdvisor ranks it in the Top 10% worldwide for excellent ratings.) Its significant collection, 300 strong from around the globe, covers commercial, military and civil aviation alongside more than 125,000+ artifacts, including a moon rock donated by Tucsonan and Astronaut Frank Borman. Be amazed by many all-time great aircraft: the SR-71 Blackbird (the world’s fastest spy plane); a B-29 Superfortress (the WWII bomber that flew higher, farther and faster plus carried more bombs); the world’s smallest bi-plane; the C-54 (the Berlin Airlift’s star flown by the famous “Candy Bomber” Col. USAF (Ret.) Gail Halvorsen, a Tucson-area winter resident); plus planes used as renowned-contemporary-artists’ canvases, including Brazilian graffiti artist Nunca. Explore five large hangars totaling more than 189,000 indoor square feet—four+ football fields¬—of air/space craft, heroes’ stories and scientific phenomena. Two+ hangars are dedicated to WWII, one each to the European and Pacific theaters. Pima Air & Space maintains its own aircraft restoration center. It also operates exclusive tours of the “Boneyard,” aka the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, plus offers a docent-led tram tour of its 80 acres (additional fees apply). Pima Air & Space Museum is located at 6000 E. Valencia Rd., just off I-10 exit 267, in Tucson. More information can be found at www.pimaair.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PimaAirAndSpace or by calling 520 574-0462.

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PASM C-54 Parachute 08 = Col. Halvorsen tossing a handkerchief parachute with candy similar to the ones dropped from the C-54 cargo plane in the background during the Berlin Air Lift. Staff photo

PASMSanta lands 2012_RB = Santa coming in for a landing at Pima Air & Space Museum in 2012. Photo by Rick Barrett

PASMSantaLandingBells = 2013 Jingle Bell Ornament to be given to the first 1500 children at Santa’s Landing on Dec. 14, 2013. Children ring the bell as Santa lands to welcome him to Tucson. Staff photo

Photo HalvorsenTiergarten 48 = Col. Halvorsen in Germany in 1948 during the Berlin Air Lift. U.S. Air Force photo

Santa landing 2012 _1 = Excited children watching Santa land in a helicopter at Pima Air & Space Museum

PASMSantaLandFamily = A family gathers round Santa for a group photo after watching Santa land at the Pima Air & Space Museum

HISTORIC MILITARY VEHICLES AT THE PIMA AIR 7 SPACE MUSEUM ON NOV. 16

TUCSON, AZ, Oct. 30, 2013—The Pima Air & Space Museum will host a historic military vehicle show entitled “Wings and Wheels” on Sat., Nov. 16, 2013. This arresting annual display of jeeps, trucks and motorcycles is a partnership between the Southern Arizona Military Vehicle Collectors Club and the Pima Air & Space Museum. There will be more than 20 historic military vehicles on display under the wings of many iconic airplanes plus enthusiastic club members in authentic uniforms to share their knowledge. This show is free with paid admission to the Museum.

“November is a month of military remembrance, the perfect time to augment our collection with more fascinating military vehicles if only for one day,” states Yvonne Morris, Executive Director of the Arizona Aerospace Foundation that operates the Pima Air & Space Museum. Morris continued, “With this Collector’s Club’s participation, it’s a great opportunity to make, as we say ‘history come to life’ for our visitors.”

ABOUT PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUMBe wowed at Pima Air & Space Museum, one of the largest aviation museums in the world and the largest non-government-funded in the U.S. (TripAdvisor ranks it in the Top 10% worldwide for excellent ratings.) Its significant collection, 300 strong from around the globe, covers commercial, military and civil aviation alongside more than 125,000+ artifacts, including a moon rock donated by Tucsonan and Astronaut Frank Borman. Be amazed by many all-time great aircraft: the SR-71 Blackbird (the world’s fastest spy plane); a B-29 Superfortress (the WWII bomber that flew higher, farther and faster plus carried more bombs); the world’s smallest bi-plane; the C-54 (the Berlin Airlift’s star flown by the famous “Candy Bomber” Col. USAF (Ret.) Gail Halvorsen, a Tucson-area winter resident); plus planes used as renowned-contemporary-artists’ canvases, including Brazilian graffiti artist Nunca. Explore five large hangars totaling more than 189,000 indoor square feet—four+ football fields¬—of air/space craft, heroes’ stories and scientific phenomena. Two+ hangars are dedicated to WWII, one each to the European and Pacific theaters. Pima Air & Space maintains its own aircraft restoration center. It also operates exclusive tours of the “Boneyard,” aka the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, plus offers a docent-led tram tour of its 80 acres (additional fees apply). Pima Air & Space Museum is located at 6000 E. Valencia Rd., just off I-10 exit 267, in Tucson. More information can be found at www.pimaair.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PimaAirAndSpace, or by calling 520 574-0462.

Tucson, AZ, Oct. 24, 2013—Lou Mancini, Senior Vice President, Commercial Aviation Services, Boeing Commercial Airplanes of The Boeing Company, will dedicate a Boeing 737-300 commercial jet airliner at the Pima Air & Space Museum on Mon., Nov. 4, 2013 at 12:00 noon. Local city and county dignitaries will attend the ceremony for the aircraft which was operated by China Southern Airlines.

“We are extremely grateful to The Boeing Company for helping us acquire this popular airplane. We have great plans not only for its display but also for education, especially with school children,” said Count Ferdinand von Galen, Chairman of the Museum Board of Trustees. He continued, “We are hopeful that this experience will lead to further opportunities to work with Boeing.”

“Boeing is proud to partner with the Pima Air & Space Museum in its educational mission to preserve and present the history of flight,” stated Mancini. “We hope this airplane helps inspire young minds to think big and excel in science, math and other technology subjects in this growing aerospace-centric community.”

The 737-300 was flown into Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and towed, with the crew inside, across Valencia Road. Video footage of this transfer is available.

The Boeing 737 is the most popular jetliner family in the world with more than 7,700 built and another 3,400 on order as of September 2013. The 737 is in use by large and small airlines around the world. It has been estimated that over 2,000 are flying at any given moment with one taking off or landing every two seconds.

The Museum’s newest addition, the 737-300, is part of the 737 Classic series, the second set of airplanes developed in the family. It was a major redesign of the plane from the first generation, featuring new high-bypass turbofan engines that reduced both noise and fuel consumption. The -300 was announced in 1981 and went into airline service with Southwest Airlines and USAir in 1984. A total of 1,113 of this version were built between 1984 and 1999. Brand new, this type of airplane had a list price in the range of $20 to $30 million dollars in the early 1990s.

In addition to the commercial versions of the aircraft the U.S. military has used several versions of the aircraft – including the T-43A, a U.S. Air Force navigation trainer and transport, and the C-40, a cargo and personnel transport in use with the U.S. Navy and Air Force. The latest 737-derived military aircraft is the P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.

Airplane Service HistoryBuilt by Boeing Aircraft Company at Renton, Washington and delivered on September 23, 1993.1993-2012 Operated by China Southern Airlines, People’s Republic of China2012 Retired from use and returned to Boeing Aircraft CompanyDecember 2012 Donated to Pima Air & Space Museum by Boeing

ABOUT PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUMBe wowed at Pima Air & Space Museum, one of the largest aviation museums in the world and the largest non-government-funded in the U.S. (TripAdvisor ranks it in the Top 10% worldwide for excellent ratings.) Its significant collection, 300 strong from around the globe, covers commercial, military and civil aviation alongside more than 125,000+ artifacts, including a moon rock donated by Tucsonan and Astronaut Frank Borman. Be amazed by many all-time great aircraft: the SR-71 Blackbird (the world’s fastest spy plane); a B-29 Superfortress (the WWII bomber that flew higher, farther and faster plus carried more bombs); the world’s smallest bi-plane; the C-54 (the Berlin Airlift’s star flown by the famous “Candy Bomber” Col. USAF (Ret.) Gail Halvorsen, a Tucson-area winter resident); plus planes used as renowned-contemporary-artists’ canvases, including Brazilian graffiti artist Nunca. Explore five large hangars totaling more than 189,000 indoor square feet—4+ football fields¬—of air/space craft, heroes’ stories and scientific phenomena. Two+ hangars are dedicated to WW II, one each to the European and Pacific theaters. Pima Air & Space maintains its own aircraft restoration center. It also operates exclusive tours of the “Boneyard,” aka the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, plus offers a docent-led tram tour of its 80 acres (additional fees apply). Pima Air & Space Museum is located at 6000 E. Valencia Rd., just off I-19 exit 267, in Tucson. More information can be found at www.pimaair.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PimaAirAndSpace, or by calling 520 574-0462.

ABOUT THE BOEING COMPANY

The Boeing Company is the world's leading aerospace company, with its heritage mirroring the history of flight. It is the largest manufacturer of satellites, commercial jetliners, and military aircraft. In terms of sales, Boeing is the largest U.S. exporter. Total company revenues for 2012 were $81.7 billion.

The Chicago-based company has customers in 150 countries and employees in more than 70 countries. Worldwide, Boeing and its subsidiaries employ nearly 170,000 people, including more than 140,000 with college degrees and nearly 35,000 with advanced degrees that cover virtually every business and technical field.Boeing Commercial Airplanes provides the world’s leading family of jetliners – the most efficient, reliable and comfortable airplanes from 100 through 465 passengers, designed and sized to enhance airline profitability. ABOUT CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES

The largest airline in The People's Republic of China for the past 34 years, China Southern Airlines (CZ) in 2012 reached a passenger volume of over 86.5 million, thereby leading the Chinese aviation industry as the only Chinese carrier entering into the world's Top 10 passenger airlines. With a fleet of 512 modern aircraft and serving 193 cities in 35 countries & regions worldwide, CZ has manifested its leadership in the aviation industry. By July 2013, CZ has kept a safety record of 11.41 million flying hours and 230 months of aviation safety. CZ has hereby retained the best safety record in Chinese aviation and therefore honored with the Diamond Flight Safety Award by the CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China).

PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM RELOCATES HISTORIC BEACON

Tucson—Oct. 4, 2013. The Pima Air & Space Museum has relocated its Airway Beacon Tower to a prominent position near Valencia Rd. Drivers and car passengers can now see it as they drive by.

“We are delighted to move this fascinating piece of aviation history into a more prominent location for all to see,” stated Yvonne Morris, Executive Director of the Arizona Aerospace Foundation, the not-for-profit that operates the Pima Air & Space Museum. “We are hoping it will become a landmark for the Southeast side of Tucson.”

During the 1920s the United States government created a series of lighted “airways” linking major cities across the country. The lighted Airway Beacons were a substantial navigation aid in an era prior to the development of radio navigation. The effectiveness was limited by visibility and weather conditions. Twenty-four-inch-diameter rotating beacons were mounted on 53-foot (16 m) high towers, and spaced ten miles apart. The spacing was closer in the mountains, and farther apart in the plains. The beacons were five-million candlepower, and rotated 6 times a minute. By 1933 approximately 1,500 airway beacons had been constructed to guide pilots from city to city, covering 18,000 miles from coast to coast. Radio navigation systems began to replace the lights in 1929 but it was not until the 1970s that the last of the beacons were officially turned off. Several actually remain in use by the state of Montana and are used to mark dangerous mountainous terrain. The lights are sometimes called “Lindy Lights” in recognition of Charles Lindbergh’s efforts to promote the system during the 1920s. The light preserved at the Pima Air & Space Museum is believed to have originally been placed at the airport at Douglas, Arizona.

Due to the museum’s proximity to the Davis-Monthan Air Force base and its runway, for safety reasons the beacon’s five-million candlepower light will not be lit.

ABOUT PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUMBe wowed at Pima Air & Space Museum, one of the largest aviation museums in the world and the largest non-government-funded in the U.S. (TripAdvisor ranks it in the Top 10% worldwide for excellent ratings.) Its significant collection, 300 strong from around the globe, covers commercial, military and civil aviation alongside more than 125,000+ artifacts, including a moon rock donated by Tucsonan and Astronaut Frank Borman. Be amazed by many all-time great aircraft: the SR-71 Blackbird (the world’s fastest spy plane); a B-29 Superfortress (the WWII bomber that flew higher, farther and faster plus carried more bombs); the world’s smallest bi-plane; the C-54 (the Berlin Airlift’s star flown by the famous “Candy Bomber” Col. USAF (Ret.) Gail Halvorsen, a Tucson-area winter resident); plus planes used as renowned-contemporary-artists’ canvases, including Brazilian graffiti artist Nunca. Explore five large hangars totaling more than 177,000 indoor square feet—almost four football fields¬—of air/space craft, heroes’ stories and scientific phenomena. Two+ hangars are dedicated to WWII, one each to the European and Pacific theaters. Pima Air & Space maintains its own aircraft restoration center. It also operates exclusive tours of the “Boneyard,” aka the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, plus offers a docent-led tram tour of its 80 acres (additional fees apply). Pima Air & Space Museum is located at 6000 E. Valencia Rd., just off I-10 exit 267, in Tucson. More information can be found at www.pimaair.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PimaAirAndSpace, or by calling 520 574-0462.

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PASMBeaconCrane.jpg = crane moving the beacon to its new location near Valencia Rd. during the early morning. Photo by Andrew Boehly

PASMBeacon.jpg = the relocated beacon at Pima Air & Space, photo by mee

PASMBeaconA-10.jpg = soon after the beacon was relocated, a C-130 takes off from Davis Monthan Air Force Base, photo by mee

PASMBeaconBeauty.jpg = the relocated beacon at Pima Air & Space and the Museum’s signature entry monument, the Beauty of Flight, photo by mee

HOT RODS AND HOT PLANES SIZZLE ON A SEPTEMBER SUNDAY MORNING AT PIMA AIR & SPACE

Tucson—Aug. 26, 2013. Hot rods and hot planes: The Tucson Street Rod Association will display their “rides” at Pima Air & Space on the morning of Sun., Sep. 15, 2013. The Tucson Street Rod Association, the self-proclaimed oldest car enthusiast club in Tucson,¬¬ organized their September group ride to see the planes at Pima Air & Space Museum and agreed to show off their “souped up” street rods juxtaposed with the museum’s outdoor collection.

Street Rods: As the 1950s rolled into the '60s, teens (and professionals such as Ed “Big Daddy” Roth) customized cars so that they bore little resemblance to assembly-line productions. They became fantastic and futuristic creations, distinctly American including such statements as the addition of the iconic “Rat Fink” character of Ed Roth on the cars. (Rat Fink was a counter culture nod to Mickey Mouse. One story goes that Rat Fink’s appearance on a t-shirt typically yielded a student being expelled from school and thereby enabling that student to work on his customizing his car.) Tom Wolfe, in his 1963 article, "The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby,” described the hot rod trend as a communication of “alienation and rebellion that is so important to the teen-age ethos that customizing grew up in.”

“Although the museum prefers to restore our air & space collection with historical accuracy, we believe museum visitors will enjoy these unique museum-worthy vehicles. We are grateful to the Tucson Street Rod Association for sharing with us and the public,” stated Yvonne Morris, Executive Director of the Arizona Aerospace Foundation that operates the Pima Air & Space Museum.

“Although I can’t promise which of our 60+ members’ great rods will be there—member attendance is optional—I can promise what shows will all look really cool next to the planes!” stated Perry Peradotto, event organizer and owner of a 1940 Chrysler New Yorker. He continued, “All of our vehicles are originally pre-1948 models. I can’t wait to photograph mine with the Blue Angel.” Viewing the cars (and photographing them) is included in the price of admissions, that price recently reduced to only $12.25 for Pima County residents. Although visitors are allowed to touch most of the planes at Pima Air & Space, the club respectfully requests the public refrain from touching their cars that will be on display from museum opening (9:00am) until approximately 1:00pm.

ABOUT PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUMBe wowed at Pima Air & Space Museum, one of the largest aviation museums in the world and the largest non-government-funded in the U.S. (TripAdvisor ranks it in the Top 10% worldwide for excellent ratings.) Its significant collection, 300 strong from around the globe, covers commercial, military and civil aviation alongside more than 125,000+ artifacts, including a moon rock donated by Tucsonan and Astronaut Frank Borman. Be amazed by many all-time great aircraft: the SR-71 Blackbird (the world’s fastest spy plane); a B-29 Superfortress (the WWII bomber that flew higher, farther and faster plus carried more bombs); the world’s smallest bi-plane; the C-54 (the Berlin Airlift’s star flown by the famous “Candy Bomber” Col. USAF (Ret.) Gail Halvorsen, a Tucson-area winter resident); plus planes used as renowned-contemporary-artists’ canvases, including Brazilian graffiti artist Nunca. Explore five large hangars totaling more than 177,000 indoor square feet—almost four football fields¬—of air/space craft, heroes’ stories and scientific phenomena. Two+ hangars are dedicated to WWII, one each to the European and Pacific theaters. Pima Air & Space maintains its own aircraft restoration center. It also operates exclusive tours of the “Boneyard,” aka the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, plus offers a docent-led tram tour of its 80 acres (additional fees apply). Pima Air & Space Museum is located at 6000 E. Valencia Rd., just off I-10 exit 267, in Tucson. More information can be found at www.pimaair.org, on Facebook, or by calling 520 574-0462.

Note: The 390th Bombardment Group (Heavy) Memorial Museum is closed for reconstruction until further notice.

ABOUT THE TUCSON STREET ROD ASSOCIATION:The TSRA was formed 42 years ago by a small group of dedicated car enthusiasts who hoped to encourage a local interest in street rods (1948 and older). Little did they know that TSRA would still be in existence forty plus years later. Since those humble beginnings the club has grown to over sixty members and an equal number of cool street rods. More information can be found at www.tucsonstreetrodassociation.net.